A Hyderabad-based organisation 'Nayi Disha Resource Centre' is assisting the families of children diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities by providing information that is critical for child's development through its mobile-accessible and multi-lingual digital platform.
Prachi Dev, the founder and Executive Director of Nayi Disha Resource Centre said her organisation empowers the parents and provides them with all required information to look after their children who need special care.
"We set up Nayi Disha Resource Centre to support, give hope and provide information to parents, whose children are suffering from intellectual and developmental disabilities," she told the media.
"Many parents lack knowledge about their children's intellectual problem and do not know how to deal with it in the right way. So, our organisation helps those parents by providing them with all the required information, right from the symptoms of intellectual disabilities to the way the child must be taken care of and identify the child's potential. This organisation also provides information regarding the kind of treatment or therapy that is suitable for the child's condition," she added.
Dev said the organisation has been working in collaboration with doctors, therapists and special schools.
"This ensures that the parents need not run from pillar to post to gather information but can get all the required information for their child's care just by reaching out to this organisation," she added.
On being asked about the idea to begin this initiative, Dev said her brother suffered from down syndrome and this is why she decided to help the children who face similar challenges.
"My brother had suffered from down syndrome. During that time, people hardly have access to the internet or availability of information regarding intellectual disabilities. So, I used to volunteer with the organisations where my brother used to go. While volunteering, I was shocked to find out that people really lack the information required to nurture a child with special needs. That is what moved me to set up Nayi Disha Resource Centre in October 2015," she said.
"Now nearly about 10,000 families are associated with us and till now nearly about two lakh people have visited our website to seek information. Initially, we have started this organisation in Hyderabad and now we have our support groups across the country," she said.
Dev also wants to reach out to people living in rural parts of the country through her organisation.
Smita Kadam, who works as an outreach officer with Nayi Disha Resource Centre, said: "All information available on Nayi Disha's website is provided by the experts. We are associated with 1,800 experts who are working with doctors, specialists, physiotherapist and special educators."
